[Verse 1]I'm waking up to ash and dustI wipe my brow and I sweat my rustI'm breathing in the chemicalsI'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison busThis is it, the apocalypseWhoa

[Chorus]I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new ageWelcome to the new age, to the new ageWhoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive!
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive!

[Verse 2]I raise my flags, don my clothes
It's a revolution, I supposeWe'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

[Chorus]I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive!
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive!

[Chorus]I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive!
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive!

Lyrics taken from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/i/imagine_dragons/radioactive.html

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I think this song is about how everything that this person knows has been destroyed and he has to overcome all of the challenges sent his way and it is hard for him because what has happened is so devastating to him and such a tragic event is hard to recover from.

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UnregisteredJun 20, 2015 at 11:47 am

I think he is waking up to a world after a nuclear war. Everything was destroyed, as there is only ash and dust. He imagines a new age, a revolution that will be built by him, from dust. He feels a new power inside him, energy overflows him. There is still a hope, and he will start building a new world on the ruins.

I feel like this song is about smoking heroin, from waking up sweating and aching in your bones to having to inhale chemicals to feel normal and good. Breaking in, shaping up and checking out on a prison bus could be reference to stealing for the habit, trying to get better, then getting in trouble while in a haze... or breaking in could refer to doing the drug, shaping up could refer to getting well, and checking out can be about nodding off on the drug. The music video seems like its about a bunch of drug dealers making and betting money on their beast (which is the drug), while the addicts are imprisoned below them because the drug is too powerful for them to beat. The girl that comes and saves them has a strong soul and power to finally conquer the monster and throw the drug kingpin into his own hell, while releasing the addicts from their prison cells and back into the world above ground.

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kirbyJan 7, 2015 at 12:21 pm

It means communism, they talk about red, and revolution, and a new age. What do they equal: Communism. Just like in animal farm, except they are dragons, but imaginary dragons, which is what the animal farm characters want so they can have power and mollie the horse is the bourgeoisie. Also great song.

Everyone is interpreting it as something like fighting cancer, but they forget that sometimes can tell a story as well.
I think the song is just about a person living in a post-apocalyptic era after a nuclear war, where radioactive ash clouds fall on the earth and one can't even see the sun. Survivors are fighting each other for survival and dominance. The speaker is learning to survive in the chaos of the apocalypse. The part about the "sun hasn't died" means he hasn't lost hope yet. He is asserting that he will live on in the "New Age."

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